With Karachi’s never-ending summers, it’s always good idea to go and cool off with a bowl of ice cream; after all what can be better than indulging oneself with a trip to one’s local parlour? And there’s something about this concoction of cream, sugar and flavouring that’s nostalgic. Everyone, after all, has a favourite childhood memory of ice cream — whether that’s buying a choc bar from their local school canteen or heading out with the family to the local, neighbourhood spot to devour a swirl of ice cream served in a sugar cone.
For the previous generation of ice cream-lovers the choice often stopped at soft-serve ice cream in three flavours: vanilla, chocolate and strawberry but those days are gone. Now, one is spoilt for choices, from unusual flavours such as injeer and green tea to experience: you can watch your ice cream being made in nitrogen in front of you or watch it juggled; and you can pick and choose what you want to a T. But who has the most divine chocolate ice cream and which has the most unsual flavours in town? Eos has compiled a master list of where to go…
THE CLASSICS
Peshawari Ice Cream
First formed in 1948, Peshawari Ice Cream is still tucked away in its original location near Empress Market. You’ll find it busy whenever you go, even on an afternoon on an odd weekday and it’s one of the only places in the city where you’ll find unusual and delicious flavours such as injeer and sharifa.
We pick the best ice-cream parlours to satisfying your inner sugaraholic
According to our server the most popular flavour are Pista and Peshawari but it’s the other ones (besides injeer and sharifa of course) that are worth a trip such as kajoo, pineapple, rose jelly, tutti frutti, zafran almond and mango (the type of mango used changes throughout the summer — anwar ratol, saroli and dasehri ice cream is made through the mango season). The specials that stand out are the Mango Special (scoops of mango ice cream along with pieces of chaunsa mango and jelly) and Peshawari Surprise, a generous serving of scoops of pineapple, Peshawari and kajoo ice cream topped with kajoo, almonds, pistachios, pineapples, injeer and red cherries. The best thing about Peshwari Ice Cream is that they use fruits that are in season so every time you go, there’s a different flavour for you try.
Bang for your buck: The Peshawari ice cream is priced at 90 rupees per glass and the other flavours at 100 rupees per glass (around two scoops), it’s a very generous serving at a very reasonable price.
Shezan Ampis is one place that’ll take you back to the glory days of the ’70s. They have three basic ice cream flavours: strawberry, chocolate and vanilla but no one does specials like them. Shezan Surprise with its generous helping of fruits and nuts is a delight and the Chocolate Nut Sundae is chocolate deliciousness in a bowl.
Bang for your buck: A scoop will set you back 200 rupees per scoop and the specials start at 350 rupees but it’s worth every paisa
Tucked away in Khadda Market, Ebby by Majeed Ice Cream is easy to miss and usually only serves three to four flavours at a time and only in litre packs. Pistachio, Pink and White and Mango shall all make you nostalgic and put you in a sugar coma.
Bang for your buck: One pack costs Rs 650-750 rupees and you’ll have to hunt a bit before you can find this hole-in-the-wall gem but the ice-cream more than makes up for it.
If you’ve been to a wedding in Karachi and had ice-cream, you were most likely served Ice Berg. Skip its parlour in Saddar — the individual servings are nothing to write home about — but its specials, sold in litre packs, are worth buying. The company makes mouth-watering chiku, mango and Sicilian ice cream and is ideal to store in the freezer for craving emergencies.
Bang for your buck: Starting at 170 rupees for a litre, Iceberg has one of the most reasonably priced ice creams in town.
Hidden behind one of the most popular nihari eateries, Shabbir has been serving the local community for the past 25 years. No ice-cream is sold in scoops instead you have to get litre packs — their standout flavours include Gateau Parfait, Rose Rabbri, Pista and Zafran. You’d have to head all the way to North Nazimabad to get your dose of ice-cream but make it into a trip and stock up for the month.